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Squidly’s Tips: How to use LFG

Sometimes I’m not even in LFG and someone plucks me out of nowhere to heal.

Sometimes I start joining myself up to LFG and I am grabbed before I even complete my selection.

Sometimes I join LFG and… Nothing. Hours can go by with no bites on my instance fishing line.

Lately I have found myself starting groups just because, well the reason I joined LFG was I want to run an instance, so spending even 10 minutes fishing in Dalaran is a waste of my limited time.

So here’s some tips for getting a group together.

Join LFG for the instance or instances you are interested in.

If you are determined to get a group up, check the Leader checkbox… It will give you an air of authority and make it look like you have a group even if you don’t.

Click on the Looking For More tab and see what you find.The number of times I have gone here and found enough group members for two groups, yet no groups formed!

Start whispering the people that are there asking if they want to join you.

Follow up with a group invite. Immediately if you want, without waiting for a response. You have asked so the invite won’t be so random as to scare them.

Check out all the other instances.In LFM if you couldn’t fill your group straight up.I don’t know about you but I will often take the bird in the hand rather than waiting an hour for the bush to invite me. Seems to be the case for most folks, those under 80 at least, because XP is XP no matter where you earn it.Automatic Options finished, go fishing.Apart from late joiners to LFG, you will now need to go fishing in the chat channels (which is better than fishing in the Dalaran fountain… more interactive).

LFG Channel: LFxM Instance gtg LFG Channel is probably a waste of your time, as it’s connected to the LFG interface.But there are a couple of circumstances where it may pay off:
– Mains/Alts – a player may be in LFG on a toon in a different level bracket. They may not see you in the LFG interface, but they might see you in chat.
– One level up/down – it’s possible that there is a character of an appropriate level you can’t see because they are a level too low/high and don’t get the option in the interface.

Trade/General chat.One of the failings of the LFG channel is it only becomes active when you are actively LFG through the interface.It wasn’t always this way but after the morons filled it with trade, Barrens and Anal chat it got changed.Anyway, same process as LFG channel. As for what you need, the more role specific the better, the less instance specific… Well that might be better.

Mates & GuildiesOK, scraping the bottom of the barrel now. I’m sure they are nice, but without a vested interest they may be reluctant.The closer to a full group the better, the less you call upon tanks and healers the better (we get tired of being wanted too much).Make sure your party mates are asking their mates too!

Repeat steps 3-9 until your group is full.

Don’t lose them now!

If the whole group is good, propose running another instance together.

Do it before the final boss to avoid unnecessary hearths.

If some of the group didn’t cut it, whisper those that did and ask them if they want to hang around. Either kick the noobs or drop group and reform with those prepared to continue.

The most important aspect of all this is if you are Looking For Group, then actively look and form the group. You may start as leader but it doesn’t have to stay that way!

It is changing in 3.3

It will change, and Spooner linked a great demonstration video the other day.

That doesn’t mean you have to wait until 3.3 is released, get out there and form a group today!